A Collection of Love
by MissKatt18
Summary: My personal collection of One-Shots that were never posted. Chapters are unrelated to each other, each one being unique in it's own individual tale. They range from 10 100-word drabbles to 1,500-5,000 word One-Shots. (Rating T-M) Updates sporadic.
1. March 2012 DDN

**A/N: Thanks for choosing to read my collections of One-Shots/Drabbles. I've written these over the years for challenges and events on Dokuga. The One-Shots range from 1,500 words-5,000 words, while Drabbles will usually be 10, 100-word entries. Each "chapter" is it's own "story" none of the chapters relate to the others. These stories will range from sad to happy to romance. Some contain smut, others do not. Is you see a story you do like and wish to be continued, please tell me as many of these are not completed, but a few are. Thanks again, everyone! Enjoy!**

* * *

**(These drabbles are from Drabble/Drawble night March 2012. Old haha. I think this is the oldest one though)**

**Rating: T**

The taiyoukai remembered her intelligent brown eyes. They were the color of the strange, sweet smelling substance the miko occasionally brought from her time. Her toothy smile and innocence was what had begun to melt his icy heart. His ward had managed to do what none could. He would admit that he felt a somewhat paternal instinct come to life as she began to follow him after that day.

But now she was gone and he could feel the coldness begin to seep back into his heart. He would remember her and the one who repeatedly tried to heal her.

**Prompt: Chocolate**

**Word Count: 100**

He let his lids close as he recalled the night before.

Blood was splattered everywhere as well as human bodies. The scent assaulted his nose and almost made him falter in step as he walked over to his still ward.

He and his brother's group had just finished slaughtering the intruding youkai. Unfortunately, they had been too late for Rin. As he neared, he took in how the miko was hovering over her, her battle-worn hands lit with her pure, pink power as she tried to heal her wounds.

Sesshoumaru knew it was futile. Her heartbeat could not be heard.

**Prompt: Blood**

**Word Count: 100**

"Sesshoumaru," He heard the miko's whisper. It was a bittersweet feeling when she gazed up at him with sapphire eyes brimmed with tears. He had grown somewhat fond of the miko during his visits to the village. She was kind and patient and taught Rin much. He did not like to see her upset, which he found was often with Inuyasha, yet he was glad she mourned for her. "I'm sorry. S-she's not waking up. Can't you bring her back?"

Sesshoumaru looked down at Rin's pale face. "This Sesshoumaru cannot. It is impossible for she has been revived twice already."

**Prompt: Bittersweet**

**Word Count: 100**

After they had buried the villagers, Kagome stood next to Sesshoumaru in front of the final grave: Rin. She kneeled down in front of the piled dirt and took her canary yellow backpack off her shoulder. Setting the bag to the side, she clapped her hands together before closing her eyes and beginning to pray for the child she had come to love deeply.

Sesshoumaru watched her with curious amber eyes. Perhaps the miko cared as much for Rin as he did. He kept his mask in place when she suddenly met his gaze with furrowed brows. "I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru."

**Prompt: Canary**

**Word Count: 100**

She felt as if a lime had just been squeezed into her eyes from the amount of tears that were pouring down her cheeks. She rose to her feet and walked towards him. She clenched her fists at her sides and looked up at him. "It's my fault this happened."

"Hn."

"She wanted to come with Inuyasha, Miroku, and I to get more supplies, but I told her to stay and help Kaede gather herbs because her back was hurting." She felt a new flood of tears come and closed her eyes tightly before burying her face in her hands.

**Prompt: Lime**

**Word Count: 100**

Sesshoumaru raised one of his brows as he watched as she tried to regain her composure. She lowered her hands and looked up at him, once again meeting his gaze with her night sky colored eyes. "Can you forgive me?"

He stared down, gold meeting sapphire. She was so sincere in her feelings. Did she truly believe it was her fault? "The blame is not yours. The fault is my own for leaving her in Inuyasha's village." He clarified, narrowing his eyes. He should have known his brother was incapable of protecting anything; just look how he treated his intended.

**Prompt: Sky**

**Word Count: 100**

Daring to push the limits with the taiyoukai, she reached out and grasped his hand. "You only wanted what was best for her, Sesshoumaru. No one blames you," She said softly and glanced over at Rin's grave. The vibrant flowers of purple and blue mixed with the green grass reminded her of a peacock. Oh, how Rin would have loved to see one of those in her time. "Especially Rin."

He clenched his jaw at the physical contact with the miko, but did not remove his hand from the comfort. "She wanted to come with me." He breathed the truth.

**Prompt: Peacock**

**Word Count: 100**

"Come with you?" Kagome repeated and shook her head. "Sesshoumaru, you were trying to give her a human's life. She had a lot to learn still." She smiled at the fond memory of when the two went out searching for the Japanese yellow plums for dinner.

"I should have given her what she wanted." Why was he discussing his feelings with the miko? It was not her business. Still, he could not deny that speaking of it plus her words gave him some comfort.

"You did," She tightened her hold on his hand. "You gave her another chance at life."

**Prompt: Plum**

**Word Count: 100**

"And took it away," He shot back, eyes narrowing once more. "There was no point in bringing her back."

Shocked by his words, she did the only thing she could do. It was a very Kagome thing to do, but she was sure Sesshoumaru would not be used to such actions. She released his hand and wrapped her arms around his waist, not minding the hard armor.

Was this miko truly hugging him? Did she have a death wish?

"You don't believe that." She breathed and closed her eyes.

Her words made his thoughts cease.

Why was she so perceptive?

**Prompt: Carnation**

**Word Count: 100**

Why was something as mundane and human-like so comforting to him? How could her words sooth him? Humans; he still did not understand them.

"Hn."

She smiled at his signature response and opened her eyes. His alabaster colored silk hair shined in the setting sun. Ever since things with Inuyasha had gone…haywire, she had begun to look at Sesshoumaru with a different light. Not that she was on the prowl, but she noticed he was much different from when they first met.

He looked down at her and felt something new pinch at his heart.

Perhaps humans weren't so bad.

**Prompt: Alabaster**

**Word Count: 100**


	2. An Unexpected Gift

**_A/N: Im pretty sure this was a gift exchange for Tangie (:The exchange had to be 2,500 words (I think?) as well as use at least 3/5 prompts given by the person. The awesome thing about the exchanges is that you randomly get a person with their prompts and they don't know who has them until the reveal date (:_**

**Prompts: **

-Amethyst

-Asia

-Peppermint

-Lace

**Word Count: 2,629**

An Unexpected Gift

"AH! Thank Kami-sama!" Kagome huffed and dropped to her knees on the soft grass of the forest clearing. Ever since Sesshoumaru had joined their group, they had been traveling nonstop. He was worse than Inuyasha! How did Rin put up with it? Seriously, with as much traveling as they did in one day for the past three weeks, she would have bet her soul that they had ventured enough to do a lap around Asia; and that's saying a lot since they were in tiny Japan!

Still, she was happy that they were all traveling together. The group just seemed to be complete, despite the constant altercations with Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. She suspected it was a battle for dominance thing, but in everyone's eyes, except Inuyasha's of course, Sesshoumaru was the dominant male. He was strong, reasonable, and intelligent. But, still, they went at it.

"I think we traveled more with Sesshoumaru in these past few weeks then we ever have with Inuyasha." Miroku commented, sitting down in the shade with Sango next to him, Kirara resting in her lap. "Also, I do not think we have ever traveled so much in one morning."

"Hai," Kagome replied and sat back on her rump, stretching her legs out in front of her. Since it was still the end of winter, she had decided to wear jeans and an amethyst colored sweater her mother had gotten her for Christmas. "But, it's not _too_ terrible!" She added with a smile. She would not let anything bring her down today! It was Valentine 's Day and she had brought back many goodies for her second family. She was glad she had shopped for them when she did since they were currently, Kami only knows how far away from the well they were.

"You seem quite happy today, Kagome-chan," Sango commented with a smile. She was glad that her friend was so cheerful lately. She wasn't positive as to what had brought on these changes in her emotions, but she wasn't complaining. She deserved to be happy after how Inuyasha was treating her lately.

"I am!" Kagome said with a grin and once more folded her legs under her and placed her trusty yellow backpack in her lap. "I have something to tell all of you."

"Oh! Another story from your lands, Kagome-sama?" Rin asked curiously, sitting down next to the miko.

"Kagome's stories are the best!" Shippou chimed in, plopping down on the other side of her.

Kagome let out a short laugh and shook her head. "Hmm, it's not really a story, more of a tradition in my time."

Sesshoumaru's keen ears focused in on the miko as she spoke. Another tradition? Her time seemed to have many of these. First 'Christmas', then 'New Years', now this? Did they not tire of always celebrating? Granted, he had not been there for the time they celebrated them, but he had heard the stories. He found it tiresome, but still, he could not quiet his curiosity. Her stories were amusing, even for him, though he did not show it.

"Val-in-tyne-es day?" Rin repeated the foreign word. "What is that?"

"Well, it is most commonly known for the day people celebrate love," Kagome began, still smiling. "Usually, couples buy things for each other, or go out somewhere special, to show each other the depth of their love for one another."

"Oh! How romantic!" Rin cooed, folding her hands together with a smile.

"Hai, hai, but now, it is acceptable to buy things for the other kinds of love." She replied.

"Other kinds of love?" Shippou questioned. "There is more than one kind of love?"

"Of course, Shippou-chan!" Kagome laughed and patted his head affectionately. "There is the love I have for you, like a son, the love between friends like all of us, the love for your parents, and of course the love you only feel towards a very special someone."

"What kind of things do you buy for the ones you love?" Sango asked, now very curious as well. She never heard of a specific day to represent your love for someone.

"Ah, see, that's where personality comes in!" She said with a wink. "Usually you just buy chocolate and candy for your loved ones. That is the most common gift. However, I try to personalize it by adding something else I think the person would like!"

"Keh, sounds stupid to me!" Inuyasha spat from his spot on the tree branch above them.

Kagome looked up at him and lifted her eyebrows a fraction, her lips pursing together. "Oh? Okay then, I'll just have to give your present to someone else…"

"W-wait a minute! I didn't say that!" He quickly said, now sitting up straight on the tree branch.

She let out a giggle and then opened up her bag, digging inside of it for the treats she had for everyone. "Ah, here we go!" She said, holding up the first gift for Inuyasha. Of course, it was a ramen container with a box of chocolate attached to it. She knew that would be the only thing he truly wanted from her. She threw it up at him and he easily caught it with a happy squeak.

"Let's see, who's next…" She dug around blindly in her bag before pulling out a rectangular wrapped object. "Ah! This one is for Miroku!" She rose from her spot and walked over to him, handing the gift to him.

He blinked and took the red-wrapped item from her. He ripped open the paper, as she instructed during Christmas, and looked at his present. It was a box of chocolates and a book full of pictures, a few of them 'dirty'. "I-is this what I think it is?" he asked incredulously, joy filling him.

"Hai, hai," Kagome began bluntly. "The sequel to your Christmas present." She could not believe she had actually bought him _another_ dirty manga. She would not forget the poor, old lady's look of horror when she rung Kagome up at the bookstore.

"Ah! Arigato, Kagome-sama!" He cooed, hugging his prize to him before opening it up to the first page.

She shook he head and retrieved the next present from her bag. "Sango-chan! This one if for you!"

Sango took the small present from her friend and opened it to see a pack of the hair rings Kagome sometimes used to tie up her hair. Of course, there was also a box of the same delicious chocolate Kagome usually brought for Shippou. "Arigato, Kagome-chan. I am surprised you remembered I wanted one."

Kagome nodded with a smile. "I remember how much you said you liked mine, so I bought you several of you own! Oh," She paused to dig through her handy bag and pulled out a small bag with a cat cartoon on it. "Here. They are cat treats since Kirara probably shouldn't eat chocolate."

"Kagome…" Shippou pouted, rocking back and forth on his paws while looking up at her with puppy eyes.

"I didn't forget about you, Shippou-chan, or Rin-chan!" She laughed and dug through her bag once more. She fished out two identical wrapped presents and handed one to each child.

"Wah! So big!" Shippou chimed happily and he quickly opened the giant heart of chocolates and proceeded to eat one before moving on to the other part of gift.

"Color sticks!" Rin beamed before Shippou could and hugged the box of crayons to her. She had always been jealous of Shippou's coloring items and was now very happy to have some of her own along with paper. Not to mention she now had her own chocolate!

"Now, now, don't spoil your appetite before lunch." She scolded as Shippou began to stuff his mouth with the yummy treats.

He quickly swallowed the ones in his mouth and then nodded reluctantly. "Hai…"

Kagome pulled out a square box and handed it to Jaken. "Gomen, Jaken, I don't know you very well, but I think these may come in handy for you."

"F-for me?" Jaken asked, overwhelmed by the miko's offering. He quickly opened the gift and saw a box of the things the miko used to put on cuts. Attached to the box was a large box of chocolate. "A-arigato!" He never admitted it to the others, but the smell of the substance she always gave to the children made him drooling. Now he had his own.

"And last but certainly not least!"

Sesshoumaru opened his amber eyes when he smelt the familiar minty-cool scent of her breath. She must be chewing the substance she called 'gum'. He lifted a brow and looked at the tiny box the miko was holding out for him. A gift for him? Did her generosity know no bounds? And why get him something? Sure, they had talks and exchanged stories when the others had gone to sleep, but he did not think she held any kind of 'love' for him. Still, he would not be rude. He took the small box from her and watched with curious eyes as she kneeled down in front of him.

"I will be honest, Sesshoumaru, I searched for your present for a very long time," She began, smiling her heart fluttering smile at him. "But, as soon as I saw it, I knew it was right. Now, it may seem silly for you and you don't have to use it, but it reminded me of you and-"

"Miko, you are rambling." He cut her off and then looked back down at the deep red color of the thin paper that concealed his present, a lacey ribbon tightly tied around it.

"Gomen," She said with an embarrassed laugh and tucked a piece of her black, silky hair behind her ear. Her sapphire eyes looked down as he untied the ribbon and began to tear the top of the paper with his claw. She was nervous. She really wanted to get Sesshoumaru something nice to show how much she appreciated him, but…how do you impress the taiyoukai of the West? She bit down on her lip when he held up the small trinket by the string.

Sesshoumaru lifted a brow as the deep blue crescent moon twirled under his finger from its thick, black string, a kanji square between the loop at the top and the crescent. He then raised his eyes to hers when she continued on to explain.

"It's a charm in my time. The Kanji means 'Strength'." She smiled and gave a small shrug. "Like I said, it reminded me of you."

Sesshoumaru nodded and lowered his hand to rest the trinket in his lap. He met her eyes once more. "This Sesshoumaru thanks you."

She blushed and gave another embarrassed smile. "You're very welcome." She then stood back up and walked back over to the other pack members.

Sesshoumaru glanced down at the trinket once more as she left. It was something so simple and mundane. However, the fact that she thought of _him_ when she saw it made it something more.

Kagome smiled as she watched the children pass out from walking and playing all day. She wrapped a blanket around her and huddled closer to the fire before looking over at the taiyoukai. He was lounging against a tree, his elbow propped up on his knee with his head tilted back against the wood. She watched as the lively light of the flames danced across his face, making the magenta stripes on his cheeks look as if they were bright red.

"Is there something interesting about my face, Miko?"

She let out a startled gasp and huddled into her blanket, trying to hide her embarrassment for being caught staring. "Uh, no, gomen," She replied lamely and mentally smacked herself in the face. "Um, how long do you think it will take Inuyasha and them to reach Kaede's village?" Another mental slap. Baka! He doesn't care!

"It all depends on how fast they move. They have the neko so it should not take more than seven nightfalls." He replied, looking at her. He took in how her frame shuddered. "Miko, you are cold."

"Ah, no! I'm fine, really!" She laughed awkwardly and let out a sigh, her breath forming a white cloud in front of her lips. She was lying, of course. Her fingers felt as if they were going to break off from being so cold.

"Come," He ordered and nodded towards the spot next to him. To be honest, he had something small for her, but had been debating all night how he was going to give it to her. He was not even sure if he was going to give it to her.

She blinked and stood up, not wanting to make him upset, and walked over to him before sitting down in the spot next to him. "Arigato." She offered and smiled up at him.

He nodded and, after a moment or two, dug into his armor and pulled out a small silk bag. He fingered it for a moment, debating, before her finally dropped it into her lap and then folded his arms into his sleeves once more. There. That was not too bad.

"Eh?" Kagome asked unintelligently as she felt something fall onto her lap. She picked up the silk bag and opened it, dumping the contents onto her palm. "Wahh…Sesshoumaru?" She asked, looking up at him in disbelief. There, in her hand, was a Shikon jewel-sized, sapphire colored stone.

"Does it displease you?" He asked, suddenly doubting his gift. He had been pondering what to get her ever since he had received hers. He knew he wanted to give her something in return, but could not figure out what until he snagged another glance at her eyes.

"No! Not at all! I love it!" She chimed happily and enclosed her fingers over the cool stone, a smile on her face. "Thank you so much, Sesshoumaru. I was not expecting anything in return for my gifts."

"You should. You are too generous, Miko." He replied, but pleased by her response nonetheless.

She shook her head. "No, I just enjoy showing the ones I love that I care about them."

"Even this Sesshoumaru?" He could not help but ask. He had never had someone openly admit that they cared for him. Rin obviously did, but it was in a naïve, fatherly way. Jaken did, but it was implied by the way he wailed when he thought he meant to kill or leave him. Did this human really care about him?

"Well," She began and blushed, her face getting hot. "Of course. I mean, yes, I do. I care for you. I really like our talks. You are honestly one of the smartest people I know, not to mention the strongest. And, uh, I just kind of you, know, like your company."

Even with the shadows from the fire light, he could see the embarrassed flush of her face. "This Sesshoumaru understands. I enjoy our conversations." That was all he would say. Did he care for the miko? Perhaps. After all, he went out of his way to get her a gift. But, he would not think too much into it. He would not be like his father.

She nodded and smiled sleepily, her eyelids drooping. "I'm glad," She breathed and closed her eyes. "Good night, Sesshoumaru."

He waited until she fell asleep and allowed her, just this once, to use his shoulder as a pillow. He carefully studied her face as she slept and listened to the air as if passed between her parted pink lips. With a mental sigh he turned away from her face and stared up at the sky.

No, he would _not_ think too much into it.


	3. Tide of Emotions

**_A/N: This was the first gift exchange for my dear friend Lyra (: The exchange had to be 2,500 words (I think?) as well as use at least 3/5 prompts given by the person. The awesome thing about the exchanges is that you randomly get a person with their prompts and they don't know who has them until the reveal date (:_**

**Rating: M (contains smut)**

**Prompts: **

-Emerald

-Sea Floor

-Curry

-Blue Glass Bottle

**Word Count: 3,900**

Tide of Emotions

Molten honey eyes gazed up at the dark blue sky, shimmering stars winking back at them. The silver haired inuyoukai was finally beginning to feel at peace. It had taken even him, the great taiyoukai of the West, a long while to accept the fact that he had let Inuyasha and his friends join _his,_ he had to drill that fact firmly into the half-breed's mind, pack. The constant noise, banter, and small altercations, had irked at his patience, slowly breaking it down until he found relief in kicking Jaken or engaging his half-brother in combat.

"Sesshoumaru?"

It was _that_ voice again.

Perhaps it was the only one that did _not _bother him.

He lowered his gaze to look at the miko standing before him. Her sapphire eyes held concern, but her endearing smile was upon her soft lips. Well, they looked soft at least. Perhaps an experiment was in order? Fighting against the idea greatly, he made his gaze shift down to the bowl of…something. "Hn. I do not eat human food."

"I know, I know. But, you kind of seem off lately, so I thought maybe you just needed something nice and warm to eat!" She said, still smiling of course. When he lifted an elegant brow at her, she continued. "It's called curry. It's a popular dish in my time. My mother always said that a warm meal at night will always bring a warm day the next morning!"

Not wanting to disrespect her after all she had done for Rin and the pack in general, he took the bowl from her. The spicy aroma assaulted his nose, but it wasn't exactly unpleasant. She gave him a bright smile before returning to her place next to the fire, kneeling down as she began to eat from her bowl.

There was a brief moment of silence before Rin broke it with her soft words. "Kagome-sama, what is that?"

Kagome followed her gaze to where the little girl was pointing and gave a sad smile. She set down her bowl and reached for the small, blue glass bottle that had tumbled out of her trusty yellow backpack. "This, Rin-chan, is called perfume. My father gave it to me a long time ago. I spray it on me every morning to remember him." She said softly, holding the bottle delicately in both of her soft hands. "This was the last thing he gave me before he passed, so I treasure it deeply." She smiled sadly at the memories of her father.

Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered to Tenseiga as it rested by his side. He also knew of keeping something to remember a deceased parent. He had loathed the sword at first, but kept it nonetheless to honor his fallen father. It was a mere coincidence that he had actually found use for it. His golden pools rested back on the miko as she was asked a question.

"Kagome-sama, is that why you always smell so pretty?" Rin asked, smiling.

Kagome let out a soft laugh, the musical melody ringing in the taiyoukai's ears. "I suppose, Rin-chan. Would you like some?"

Rin blushed and nodded, but then her eyes fell on the very low contents of the bottle. "But, it is almost gone, Kagome-sama!"

The miko nodded, her eyes falling back down on the bottle resting in her hands. "Hai, but it has had a long run," She replied and then looked back up at Rin with a smile. "Here, let me see your wrist."

Rin obliged and watched as Kagome sprayed the sweet smelling fragrance on her wrist. She then let Kagome grasp her other wrist and rub the two together, spreading the fragrance to both. When she was done, Rin brought them to her face and inhaled deeply. "Ah! So pretty!" She chimed in awe, continuing to smell her wrists.

Sesshoumaru watched as the miko smiled and put her bottle back into her bag. He could not believe how selfless this ningen was. She knew she was almost out of her treasured perfume and yet she had still shared some with Rin. He did not know how she did it. However, it was a trait that drew him to her. He lifted a brow when he saw her stand up from the fire, brushing the dirt from her red hakama, before grabbing her bow and quiver.

"I am going to go on a walk. I'll be back in a little." She waved to her pack members with a forced smile before heading off down the dirt road.

The taiyoukai turned to his pack when he felt their expected gazes stab at him. What was this about? Why was he dubbed as the one to go and follow after her? Either way, he stood from his spot and went to follow the miko. Even though he knew she had grown strong and brought her weapon, he preferred to be around if she needed him especially as she reminisced the memories of her father.

Kagome smiled as she reached the small beach and cove, releasing a relaxed sigh. She knew they were close to the ocean, she could tell by the humidity and salty breeze in the air. She glanced around the tiny cove and, upon not seeing anyone, set down her quiver. She kicked off her sandals and removed her socks before making her way to the water. She smiled contently as the cool sand seeped in between her toes and spilled onto her feet as she walked towards the calm shoreline. Goose bumps rose on her flesh as she tiptoed into the cold water, small ripples billowing out around her. Not caring, she began to walk further into the still water, her feet sinking into the soft sea floor. She paused when she was thigh-deep into the water, her fingertips resting on the mirror-like surface of the water.

From the beach, Sesshoumaru's keen eyes watched the miko as she happily trailed through the water, spinning and creating perfect little waves around her. Her smile was radiant and it made his lips twitch up into a small smile as well. She was so intriguing, this human. She found such joy in a very mundane thing like she always did.

He was slightly taken aback when her sapphire eyes suddenly met his. He felt as if he had been caught peeping and had every intention of turning away, but her eyes froze him in place. A sweet smile soon adored her face and she held her hand out towards him. He let his amber orbs rest on the outstretched appendage.

Did she truly believe he would soil himself by wandering into the shallow pool with her?

Perhaps.

Would he?

Yes.

The taiyoukai traveled towards the water, his eyes locked onto hers the entire time. Not paying mind to his boots or pelt, he ventured into the water and walked towards her. When he was standing in front of her, his eyes traveled back down to her pale hand. After a moment of hesitation he gently grasped her hand with his clawed one. Her hand felt so little and soft within his own; it made him realize how delicate she truly was. His fingers brushed against her small callouses, but he did not find it unattractive. A woman who could hold her own was always a good thing.

Kagome gave him her heart fluttering smile and tightened her hold on his hand as she peered up at his face. He gazed back down into her eyes. The moon light reflected into them from the water, making them look like they were a very dark emerald green. He blinked when she used her free hand to point up into the night sky.

"See that pattern of stars?" She asked, her voice soft. "It's called the Lyra Constellation in my time. My father showed it to me when I was little. It's only visible three months of the year. It's how I always know when it's spring time here."

He followed her gaze for a moment before flicking his eyes back to her face. He took in her profile; her face was clear of any blemishes, her cheeks slightly red from walking around in the sun. Her dark lashes were thick and nearly tickled her eyebrows as she gazed up at the sky. "Beautiful." He said softly.

"It is? Isn't it?" She asked and then tilted her head to the side to look at him, another smile caressing her lips.

"This Sesshoumaru was not referring to the stars." He replied, giving her a hand a gentle squeeze. He let his own smile twitch his lips up as he watched her cheeks turn a dark shade of red.

"O-oh?" She fidgeted nervously. The demon lord had given her a small amount of compliments since they had all begun traveling with each other. It was still hard to get used to. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru."

He was glad that she never used honorifics with him; it made him feel as if she respected him for him and not his title. "There is no need for thanks, Kagome."

The miko turned a deeper hue of red at the sound of her name. He only called her by her name when they were alone. She marveled at the way it sounded with his silky voice and nearly giggled from the amount of butterflies that swarmed into her stomach. "But there is much to thank you for."

"Ho?" Sesshoumaru raised a brow down at her. "Explain?" He tried to not make it sound like a command.

Despite his emotionless voice, she knew it wasn't a demand. Still, she chose to answer him. "You have done so much for my friends," She paused and looked down at their mirror reflections. "And myself."

He used his free hand to gently grasp her chin, tilting her head so that she looked at him. "What have I done for you?"

"So much," She breathed, her eyes locked on his amber pools. "You've helped with my battle skills, taught me more herbs that help youkai and humans, and you've helped me…move on."

"Move on?" He echoed, hoping she meant what he thought she did.

She nodded, bringing her free hand up to rest on his wrist. She let her slim fingers trace the magenta stripes that decorated his pale skin. "Yes, every time Inuyasha ran off with Kikyou, you were there to comfort me. But, it was a different kind of comfort. I was so use to people pitying me and using the child voice to try and soothe me, but wondered why it never helped."

He nodded, remembering the first time when she had come stumbling into camp, tears welling her in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. By then he had already been intrigued by her and, as a pack member, cared for her wellbeing to a certain extent.

"Your words were so blunt that at first I hated them, even resented you for them. But, after time and time again, I found they were absolutely true. You told me that if he could not see the value in what he had, then I should simply stop. You told me to be stronger than a 'simple ningen' and make my own happiness. You were right, Sesshoumaru. I followed the truth in your words and I have never felt freer." She laughed at the silliness of her own words. "Is that stupid?"

Sesshoumaru nearly sighed contently as she continued to run her soft fingers along his markings. "No, for I understand your words. You too have opened my own eyes." He felt compelled to say 'heart' instead of 'eyes', but couldn't find the courage to do so. His heart flipped when the musical sound of her laughter filled his ears again.

"Me? Open the eyes of the great Taiyoukai? No way!" She said, a smile still on her face.

He shook his head at her words. "You have, Kagome, for this Sesshoumaru never thought he would come to have feelings for a miko." He grew tired of beating around the bush. He needed to tell her how he felt. Going on day by day like this was just tiresome.

Kagome's heart felt as if it froze in her chest. She had to take a sharp inhale just in order to get it beat again. Was Sesshoumaru truly telling her this? Was she dreaming? "R-really?" She grasped the hand on her chin, so that she was now holding both of his hands, and looked up at him with a serious expression, her face shining red.

Instead of answering her question, he lowered his head and captured her lips with his own. They _were_ soft. But, he felt doubt clench his heart when she simply stood there. Feeling rejected, he pulled away from her, his brow creased as he looked down at her. Had he read everything wrong?

Kagome was completely stunned. She could not believe what had happened. Sesshoumaru, _the_ Sesshoumaru, the one who was haunting her dreams and thoughts lately, had just kissed her! Oh, his lips were so warm. She had been over powered by the swarm of butterflies that erupted in her stomach, too dizzy with emotion to do anything.

After calming herself down some, she became aware of the lack of his presence. "Sesshoumaru?" She breathed. She quickly looked towards the shore and saw his retreating form. She tried to run after him, but the thigh-deep water made it difficult to do so. She cursed as she trudged through the water, her legs feeling like she was trying to run through Jell-O.

As soon as she was in shallower water, she tried to run again, creating large splashes and ripples around her. "Sesshoumaru!" She called and then let out an 'oof' when she tripped over a sunken rock. She twisted so that she didn't land face first into the water, causing her to fall on her rump in the shallow water. She blinked the salt water from her eyes, her form now drenched from head to toe. She looked up and saw an outstretched hand towards her.

"Clumsy miko," He spoke low. He watched as she gripped his hand with both of hers, her eyes pleading with him as she tugged on it. Submitting, because she would never be able to pull him down, he kneeled down in the water beside her. Anticipating the worst, he asked, "Are you injured?" His eyes widened slightly when she threw her slender arms around his neck, pulling him in towards her.

Kagome pressed her lips against his, not caring that her face was wet. She needed to convey to him that she felt the same way. She felt his arms loop around her waist and draw her in, pulling her onto his lap as he sat back in the shallow water. He parted his lips against hers and she hurriedly obliged and shuddered at the feeling of his hot tongue against hers.

So many weeks of repressed emotions came bursting out from both of them like a tidal wave. They felt as if they were suddenly unable to get enough of each other. She wanted all of him at once and she wanted it now. She yearned to open his haori, but his armor stood in her way. He, however, was much luckier. He pulled her white miko garb from the confinement of the hakama and parted it, letting his hands run over her soft skin.

She shivered at his gentle touch, goose bumps rousing on her skin from a mixture of the cool air hitting her wet skin and the prickle of his claws. She bit down on her lip when he bent her back, his arms supporting her. She tilted her head back, the ends of her hair falling into the water, as he lowered his head to her neck, his fangs nipping at the smooth flesh.

He ran the tip of his nose along the hollow of her throat, taking in her natural wild flower scent. He made a line of nips down to the swell of her breasts before letting his tongue roll along the small nub of hardened flesh. The way her back arched and the sound of her gasp made him growl in pride, his member growing hard in his hakama. He lifted her back towards him and rose from the water, her legs around his waist.

As he carried her towards the shore, she finished removing her haori and let it fall onto the sand. He set her down on it and began to undo the straps and ties of his armor. Once he tossed the armor to the side, he removed his own haori and laid it down before hovering over her. He watched as she ran her hands along his chest, a look of awe in her eyes. Pleased, he undid the ties of her hakama and removed the fabric, exposing her slim legs. He was slightly disappointed to see a strange fabric concealing her womanly parts.

Kagome looked up at him with her sapphire eyes, shivering with uncertainty as he looked over her body with his smoldering eyes. Now that he saw her scarred body, was she undesirable? Her breath hitched in her throat when his eyes met hers. She was about to ask if something was wrong, but decided against it when his lips met hers once more. She began to feel a weight of nervousness in her stomach when he began to remove her panties. This was happening. It really was!

Sensing her nervousness, he paused momentarily to make sure she was alright with this continuing. When she didn't stop him or say anything, he finished removing the thin article of clothing before tossing it to the side with the other discarded items. A growl rumbled deep in his throat and vibrated into his chest as the smell of her arousal hit him hard. As much as he wanted to take her right then, he knew he had to ease her into it since she was still pure.

She bit down on her bottom lip as he made his way down to her groin. She felt her heart rate speed up as he propped up her legs before making his way between them. She let out a loud gasp as she felt his hot tongue run between her throbbing folds. Another wave of chills ran throughout her body and she arched her back as he did it again. She let out a moan as he continued to ravish her with his tongue, his fang often brushing against her bundle of nerves, sending her into jolts of pleasure.

Her body told him she was ready and he untied his hakama, not bothering with his boots. He leaned over her, positioning himself at her entrance. He looked up at her face and gave her a small, reassuring smile. She tried to give him one back, but the nerves made it look sloppy. He used his hand to guide himself to her entrance and then put it back on the curve of her hip as he slowly pushed in. He was met by the evidence of her purity and paused, placing a kiss on her chest, before giving a small thrust. He felt the thin tissue break away and felt her stiffen under him. He stayed there for a moment, letting her adjust to him.

Kagome let out a small wail and sucked in a hiss of a breath. She clenched her eyes shut tightly, tears seeping out from the corners of them. She clung to his shoulders when he moved his head to lick away the tears. She couldn't believe she actually felt a part of her rip when he entered her. She tried to get her breathing under control, forcing her lungs to pump the air in and out. After a minute or two, the pain subsided and she wiggled her hips a little, her body slowly relaxing and adjusting to him.

Taking it as a sign that she was ready, he slowly pulled out and pushed back in. He felt her stiffen once more, but did it again. This time he was rewarded with a soft groan. Knowing it was getting better for her, he went slowly once more before picking up his speed a little. Soon, moans began to replace the groans, her body no longer stiffening when he thrust. He stayed hovering above her, resting on his elbows on either side of her, her hands on his shoulders.

Kagome moaned loud when he began to thrust harder into her. She couldn't believe how something that started off so painful could end up so pleasurable. The feeling of him inside her made her feel complete, like they were meant to be joined in such a way. Her short nails dug into his skin, her head tossing back as he moved swifter. She felt as if something within her was tightening; butterflies came at full speed as her face felt as if it was on fire. Her toes curled as it tightened more and more until-

"AH!" She nearly screamed as her back arched high, the top of her head in the sand as she felt waves upon waves crash over her and ripple throughout her body.

Feeling her clamp down on him made him reach his own peak and he was slightly frustrated he could not last longer for her first time, but perhaps it was better that way. His back went rigid as he thrust inside for the final time, releasing his seed as he came. He let out a deep sigh and he gently rested on her, making sure not to put all his weight on her. Her chest heaved against his, her breath coming out in shallow pants. He could hear her heartbeat beating hard in her ribcage and he almost feared it would burst from the effort. He propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at her sweat-clad face.

She smiled lazily up at him. "Mmm," was all she could form before her lids began to droop down.

"Let us dress and go back to camp." He said softly, pressing a kiss to her temple. He watched her bob her head in response and raised himself back up on his arms, slowly withdrawing himself from her, earning him a final soft moan. He dressed back into his clothes and armor and helped her put hers back on, the pain in her lower region making it difficult to put her pants on. He swiftly swooped her up into his arms and made his way toward the path. He stopped, balanced her in one arm as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and picked up her bow and sandals. He then put her back into both arms and walked back towards camp.

"Sesshoumaru…" She breathed.

He looked down and saw that she had fallen asleep in his arms, her head resting against his armor, her arms now cradled in her lap. He could not have been any more pleased that she had accepted him. He smiled softly and nuzzled her hair with his nose, allowing himself the indulgence before they joined the others. No, they did not need to see the tide of emotions that she evoked from him; that was only for her to see.


	4. Confusion and Betrayal

This one-shot was inspired by Aoi-Kaji's art for Opal Dream's artist/writer's tournament.

**Word Count**: 1,379

**_Confusion and Betrayal_**

**_By MissKatt_**

One-Shot

White teeth bit down on chapped lips before gnawing on the inside of an already torn up cheek. The young miko was clad in a fine silk kimono, the color a pale purple spotted with soft pink flowers along the shoulders, sleeves, and hem of the gown, the obi a dark purple. She kneeled at the long dining table, her ebony tress cascading down her back as she tried to force the bite of food down her throat.

Her sapphire eyes took in the other person at the table. Across from her sat Rin who was eating happily, a smile on her face as she dug into her plate. Obviously, the little girl had grown accustomed to eating in the large room by herself. Kagome, on the other hand, felt awkward. She still hadn't been able to grow accustomed to the silent meal.

She set down her chopsticks and let out a sigh. She had been staying at Sesshoumaru's manor now for about two weeks. She didn't see much of him; her time was mostly spent with Rin as she tried to educate her. When she did see him, it was a brief conversation dealing with either Rin' studies or him informing her he would be going away. Everything had become awkward after that night.

_"Stupid Inuyasha," Kagome muttered, trudging angrily along the dirt path towards her unknown destination with Rin at her side. She couldn't believe how ridiculous he was being! _

_After she had come back from her three year absence, Sesshoumaru had asked for her assistance when he had come to drop off another present for Rin. She was growing and needed a woman to explain the changes in her body as well as educate her in reading and writing. She agreed, of course. She loved the little girl and knew it would be easier for her to learn from a younger woman than an elderly one. She had been beyond surprised that he had even asked her to do so. She always thought there was a certain disliking he had for her._

_She suspected, however, that Inuyasha was so mad at first because Sesshoumaru would often ask for Kagome's company. She would agree without question and follow him along the path as they discussed Rin's progress. At first, she had walked a few steps behind him, nervous about the alone time, but after a while she had grown the courage to walk next to him. Eventually their conversations had drifted from Rin to other topics and she found herself laughing, actually enjoying his presence and blunt comments. _

_Kagome would often see glimpses of a smile on his lips, which made her heart flutter. She would snag glances of him when they walked, admiring his youkai beauty. The way his silvery, white hair swayed behind him as he walked and how the sun reflected in his alluring amber pools. He had an elegance that radiated off of him, something Inuyasha seriously lacked. _

_It was then she knew that her heart had finally moved on from the hanyou._

That same night had sealed the deal.

Kagome nearly flinched at the memory and she closed her eyes tightly. After she came back to the village, smelling of Sesshoumaru and their vigorous activity, Inuyasha had become enraged and ran her and Rin out of the village. Instantly, Sesshoumaru had been there to collect them and welcomed her into his home.

But everything was different now.

He rarely spoke to her, unless needed. They slept in opposite rooms of the estate and never once had he made any indication that they had had any physical contact in the past. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. Had she simply been used by him? A random rut to satisfy his needs? She paled at the thought. Was she really such an idiot to fall for someone worse than Inuyasha?

Feeling suddenly sick to her stomach from the thought, she pushed her plate from her and stood up from her kneeling position. When Rin looked at her with worry, she waved her hand at her. "Don't worry, I just don't feel too well. I'm going to go lay down. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She forced a smile and left the large room.

As she ventured down the hall way, she became lost in her thoughts once more. She raised her hand and let her fingertips run along the cool wood as she walked, the feeling somewhat relaxing. Was he really just using her? She supposed it wasn't impossible, she just hoped it was.

She was drawn from her thoughts when a pulsing aura nabbed her attention. She stopped and looked at a door that she hadn't taken note of before. She looked over each of her shoulders and let out an irritated sigh. She didn't know where she was. She had gotten lost, _again_!

She huffed and turned around to start heading back the way she had come when the aura surged again, daring her to come nearer. It power was so familiar and warm, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She looked towards the door in front of her. Might as well, right?

Knowing she was crossing her boundaries as house guest, she wandered into the room, the power pulling her to the aged bookcase that sat against the wall. It was filled with worn books, most of the bindings peeling or torn. Sapphire eyes ran along the books, trying to find the source of the drawing aura. There, on the second highest self and covered in a thin layer of dust, was a small treasure chest.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, she reached up high on her tippy-toes for it. After succeeding in bringing it down, she held the light box in her hands and blew at the dust, coughing as it swarmed around her in a little cloud. Getting over her coughing fit, she gazed at the box in her hands for closer inspection. She nearly gasped at its beauty. The rim of the lid was lined with red rubies, the sides adored with mirrored deep blue crescent moons, much like the one that adored Sesshoumaru's forehead, a small emerald resting at the top of where they met.

"What do you want?" She breathed to the box as it pulsed dangerously in her hands, inviting her to explore its secrets. She snagged a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure the coast was clear before turning back to the box to lift the lid.

Instantly a beam of brilliant yellow light shot from the box, a bright pink color laced within it. The power that radiated from it was strong enough to lift the bangs from her face, playing with the ebony strands in the air. She shut her eyes for an instant at the blinding light, trying to adjust her pupils. When she reopened them, she focused in on the gleaming pink jewel that stared back at her. She blinked her eyes at the beauty, an awed smile coming upon her lips.

Suddenly a bell went off in her head and she frowned deeply, her brows furrowing.

No, no, no! How could it be? She wished the Shikon no Tama away! _Forever_! Why was it here? And why did Sesshoumaru have it? Why didn't he tell her? What was going on?

Her head began to throb as the swarms of questions pounded against her skull, making her feel sicker than she already was. She quickly shut the box, feeling tears of frustration come to her eyes. She had failed. She failed as the jewel's protector.

"Miko."

Kagome let out a loud gasp and fumbled with the box miserably before she got a tight hold on it, clutching it to her chest as she turned to face him.

Sesshoumaru nearly recoiled from her scent. It was full of betrayal, frustration, and sadness. It took him but a moment to process that she had found the jewel. The tears in her eyes confused him, but bothered him at the same time. He did not want his intended mate crying, especially if it was indirectly his fault.

"H-how could you?" She choked out as she began to sob, her shoulders shaking. "How could you not tell me?!"

**A/N: bwhaha. And yes, this IS complete. Well, unless I'm asked very nicely…maybe.**


	5. February 2014 DDN

**February 2014 DDN**

Sesshoumaru could not believe what was happening to him. For so long, he had planned on running his father's company, waiting for the day until his father passed on the title to him. He had all the plans he wanted for change once he was in charge of the steel-based company, but they were seemingly crushed when he finally obtained the company through default.

He had only inherited the company due to a most unfortunate accident. His father and business partner had died while on the way to business meeting in the States. Both of them had died almost instantly.

**Prompt: Charge**

**Word Count: 100**

It was a depressing time for the Taisho house, indeed. But, his inheritance of the company was his light during the dark time. That was, of course, until he read the will of his father. It turned out only 'half' of the company was to be his because he himself had only owned half of it. If he could have, he would have brought back his father from the grave to simply kick him back down into the ground.

How did he only own half the company?

Because he had merged it with another company that busied itself with oil.

**Prompt: Kick**

**Word Count: 100**

Oil wasn't the problem. As his father did, the co-owner had left his half of the company to his own bloodline. But again, that was not the issue; he wouldn't be defeated by _that_.

"Good morning, Taisho-san." His secretary greeted, handing him a folder.

He took it with a nod and made his way to the office. As he stepped in, he nearly threw the thick folder in anger. There, behind his desk, was the issue. She sat in his leather chair, her heels resting on the perfectly polished surface as she slurped on the straw from a kid's drink.

**Prompt: Defeat**

**Word Count: 100**

"Is there something I can assist you with, Higurashi-san?" He asked through clenched teeth.

She turned her cerulean colored eyes on him as she sipped her Hi-C. "Not really, why?" She asked curiously.

"Then why are you in my office?" Sesshoumaru nearly growled as he made his way over to her. He used the folder to push her feet off the desk before dropping it onto the surface with a loud smack.

"I like this office better. You have a much better view of the city in here." She mused, swiveling in his chair to look out the tall windows.

**Prompt: Assist**

**Word Count: 100**

He clenched his hands into fists to stop his it from grabbed her frail neck and suspending her in the air until she took her last breath. He had never met anyone more infuriating than this female before him. She pushed all his buttons and riled his beast with just a few words. However, she was very good at her job and she was actually very intelligent. It made it worse that she had a pretty face and nicely shaped body.

"Get out of my office, Higurashi-san."

She rolled her eyes. "You're such a bore, Sessho. Why can't we talk?"

**Prompt: Suspension**

**Word Count: 100**

"Unless we are in a meeting discuss the progress of this company, or until you are willing to release your half of the company to me, we have nothing to talk about." He shot back and rolled his chair away from his desk. He then tilted the chair forward to try and dump her out of it. He was greatly disappointed that she gained balance on her feet instead of falling into the wood flooring.

"That's not ever going to happen. We don't need a meeting to get to know each other. How about we do lunch?"

"I will pass."

**Prompt: Pass**

**Word Count: 100**


	6. Fate's Punishment

**A/N: This is another Christmas exchange I did (:**

**Recipient****: _Zybentina_**

**Rating****: MA**

**Summary****: _Kagome only has one Christmas wish this year: to be reunited with a certain someone. But, what happens what fate has other plans for her?_**

**Original Prompt****: _Kagome gets stranded in a snow storm._**

**Disclaimer: **All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

Fate's Punishment

"Thank you for your hard work! Have a merry Christmas Eve!" The store owner called out as his employee began to loop her raggedy scarf around her neck.

He didn't understand why she chose to wear such a worn item. He had bought her a pink, cashmere scarf as a Christmas present that year, thinking she would appreciate the replacement, but her weak smile and choice to not wear it was enough for him to deem she did not like it. He didn't understand, but chose not to get offended by it or ask about it.

"Hai! You too!" Kagome said with a forced bright smile before she lifted the edge of her yellow scarf to cover her mouth, shielding part of her face from the cold as she walked outside and into the falling snow. As soon as the silk fabric touched her lips, they curved down into a deep frown.

Christmas was a bitter time for _retired_ miko. She did not take part in the normal traditions her family celebrated. The once joyous tasks of decorating the Christmas tree, hanging lights, stringing garland, and wrapping presents were now tiresome burdens for her. She had been this way ever since the well re-sealed on her two years ago.

She remembered the immense joy when the well opened after she graduated high school. She had been reunited with Inuyasha and life was amazing again! Until he was murdered. She shuddered at the memory. They had unintentionally stumbled into a war of lands, not knowing it was going on as they traveled together. When they realized what they had walked into, it was too late to withdraw. They found Sesshoumaru and the other inuyoukai of the West and had no choice but to help them fight.

The West was triumphant; but at a terrible price for her. Inuyasha had been killed; slaughtered mercilessly by the Southern Lord. Tenseiga could not bring him back for it had been broken and lay in pieces on the field. Inuyasha was not coming back to her.

Sesshoumaru had let her stay in the Western Palace, but she knew it was just from pity. She cried and cried and hated the world for months. She found hate in everything and she almost lost herself in her fit of depression. She didn't think she would ever get over his death, and she still cringed when she thought about it, but with the help of the taiyoukai she had learned to accept it.

From there, things took a turn that Kagome never anticipated. For the next year and a half, she had begun to spend more and more time with the taiyoukai and had begun to have feelings for him. The worst part was that the feeling was mutual. Why was this bad? Because she knew she was going to betray Inuyasha; and did. At first, she thought that maybe she was only attracted to him because of his slight resemblance to her dead love, but she soon found out that was not the case. He was so different from Inuyasha and _way_ different from what she first thought of him.

After only eighteen months, she had fallen for someone else, his _brother_ of all people. But, the part that killed her and made her feel like she was going to straight to hell, was that she felt more passionately for the taiyoukai and loved him more than she did Inuyasha. Even though he wasn't always vocal with his love for her, she could _feel_ that he felt the same way. Compared to her love for Sesshoumaru, she felt like the love she had for Inuyasha was puppy love. Admitting it was the worst part and knew she was going to get punished for it.

She pulled herself out of her head for a moment to grab her keys from her purse. She unlocked her car and slipped into the driver seat. She shivered at the drop in temperature in her car and quickly turned on the engine before cranking the heat to max. After it was warmed up enough, she put the car into drive and began to make her twenty mile long ride home. As she drove, she let herself slip back into her mind.

She thought she was going to go to hell for betraying Inuyasha, but fate decided to be much crueler. She took a deep breath as she remembered that fateful day.

_"Sesshoumaru!" She shouted as she watched him get hit into the ground, blood splattering from a fresh chest wound. She quickly tied his obi around her waist, securing his haori in place and ran forward to help him. _

_He leaped back onto his feet and growled at his miko. "Stay back!" He commanded and swung his sword to deflect the attack of the Northern prince. _

_"But-!" She hesitated, looking around for anything she could use as a weapon to help her 'boyfriend', but she had not brought any weapons with her on their journey to the well. She had needed to go back for a few supplies from her time, so Sesshoumaru had accompanied her as he always did. But, when they touched down in the clearing, she had a bad feeling gnawing in the pit of her stomach. He had assured her that they were fine and everything would be okay when she was gone. She nodded and kissed him good-bye. Only, she didn't leave after the kiss. Instead, it turned into multiple ones and then became deeper before turning into a passionate rut. Once they finished and began to dress, Sesshoumaru quickly pulled away from her, sword drawn as he defended them against a sneak attack. _

_"You killed my father and I will have revenge!" The Northern prince screeched. _

_"You are foolish to rush into this without assistance. You are unable to kill me." He growled in response, pushing the prince back with force. _

_The kitsune narrowed his eyes as he landed back on his feet. Contemplating his words, he glanced behind to see the miko. A wicked smirk tilted up his lips as he turned and ran at the miko. "Then I will take away someone close to you!"_

_Sesshoumaru cursed and kicked up his youkai speed, moving swiftly to stand in front of the miko. As he did, he met the prince's blade, blocking it before it made contact with her head. "You will not touch her."_

_Kagome's eyes widened when Sesshoumaru was suddenly in front of her. "Sesshou-"_

_"Go home," He growled out, not turning to look at her. _

_"But, Sesshoumaru-"_

_"Go!" He snarled out as he pushed back the prince. _

_She hesitated slightly before she decided to listen to him. "Be safe…" She whispered before jumping into the well. _

Tears stung at Kagome's eyes as she remembered that day. She had tried to go back an hour later, but the well refused to let her pass from then on. Yes, fate was cruel indeed. Instead of condemning her to hell after death, it took her new-found love away and made her live in a hell of her own. She had no way of knowing if Sesshoumaru was okay and it killed her every day. Had he defeated the kitsune? Or had he been killed? She would never know and the wonder was slowly driving her mad.

"Why?" She cried out loud as she drove. She had asked herself this question many times over the past two-years, but she knew the answer. She just hated admitting it to herself. "Because I betrayed Inuyasha," She sobbed. "I knew Sesshoumaru and I should have never even considered being together," She choked on a sob, making her pause. "But…I couldn't help it! I can't help who I fall in love with!" She sobbed violently, the tears now pouring from her eyes.

She wiped at them as they came, taking her eyes off the road for a second to do so. As she did, she missed the patch of black ice that took up the right side of her road. She drove over it without notice and her tires reacted violently, making her car begin to swerve.

Her eyes widened in horror as she began to lose control over her car. Not thinking about the safety precautions she was taught for icy weather, she slammed on her breaks. The car jerked to the left, making her turn the steering wheel to right to try and straighten it out, but it did not do as she wanted.

As the car began to spin in a circle, Kagome completely let go of the steering wheel, covering her face for the impending crash she knew was coming. Sure enough, the car spun to the side of the road. When the tires sunk into the small ditch that lined the asphalt, the car tilted to the right and then proceeded to roll down the small hill before the driver side of the car smashed into a tree.

Kagome felt the impact as she ricocheted off her driver door. She waited several minutes before even attempting to open an eye, her adrenaline high with what just happened. She was scared; very, very scared. As she opened both eyes, she was aware of the tingling, throbbing sensation in her face. She looked forward and saw that her airbag had deployed. She could only assume that was why her face was hurting. She glanced to her left and saw the hill she had rolled down. Hesitating, she turned to her right and instantly felt her eyes fill with tears once again as she saw her driver door severely bent in by the tree, her window shattered.

Instantly, she went to unfasten her seat belt (thank Kami she was wearing it), and felt a sharp, excruciating pain in her side from the movement. Fear once again taking hold of her, she slowly looked down at her right side and paled at the sight. A tree branch had pierced through the metal of her weakened door and stabbed itself into her side.

She began to panic and hyperventilate. "Kami-sama…Kami-sama! What do I do?" She breathed, her chest heaving as she tried to decide what to do. She shivered as a gust of wind blew into her car through the broken window. She frowned as she looked out of her windshield and saw the snow coming down in a heavier pour.

Quickly, she pushed the button to release her seatbelt. Just as quickly, she let out a blood curdling scream as the branch was jostled inside her and quickly buckled it back in its place. Breathing through gritted teeth, she looked back down to see what had happened. Just her luck, the branch was embedded right where the shoulder and lap strap met which was right above the buckle. There was no way to get the belt off unless it was cut or the branch was removed. However, with the belt still intact, she couldn't move enough to remove the branch from her side.

This was bad.

Her engine wasn't working, but the battery was, and that was enough to still supply her heat. She only hoped it would last long enough for her to get free. She glanced down at her purse in the passenger seat and reached with her left arm for it. She winced as the branch shifted in her flesh. Taking another sharp inhale, she grasped the strap of her purse and pulled it to her. She rummaged through it quickly, looking for her cell phone. Panic instantly settled in when she realized she left it in her locker at work.

No, no, no!

This was bad! How was anyone to find her?! Surely her family would note that she was late coming home, right? But, then again, she had been so distant from them as of late. They even moved their entire family away from the shrine so that she would be away from the teasing well. But, it hadn't helped her mood. Would they really notice if her sulkiness wasn't around? Would they be relieved she wasn't there to dampen their Christmas Eve?

"Please, please…" She begged, folding her hands together and closing her watering blue eyes. "Let them know something is wrong."

It seemed as if days had passed the miko by, but it had really been about an hour or so. She only knew that because of the digital clock on her radio. If it wasn't for that, she would have no idea the time for the sky was dark with the storm which was growing colder by the minute. She pulled her sleeves over her hands and huddled them close to her chest. She made sure a heater was pointed at her wound, keeping frost bite away.

That was until her car battery decided to die. Her eyes widened in horror when the heater suddenly cut out. "N-no!" She shouted at her car and twisted every knob she could and tried unsuccessfully to turn the engine on by turning the key several times. "Come on! Please! Please! Damn it!" She cursed and slammed her fists against the steering wheel, making the horn blare loudly. She continued to hit it relentlessly and press it down until that too decided to fade away.

Tears began to pour from her eyes as everything suddenly became much colder with the realization of the gravity of her situation. "Please," She sobbed. "Kami-sama, please…help me…" She looked down at the yellow and blue 'scarf' around her neck and wrapped it tighter around her. "Sesshoumaru," She breathed. "I wish you were here." She made the same wish every Christmas and every birthday, but it never came true. Still, she pressed her nose into the silk fabric and inhaled deeply, trying to get any scent of her love. She knew the smell was long gone, but she tried to imagine that it was still there.

After another twenty minutes in the freezing cold snow, she knew things were taking a turn for the worse. Her fingers were numb and her side was beginning the throb more than before. She felt dizzy and lightheaded along with being drowsy. She felt her eyelids droop, her tears all but frozen in her eyes.

This was it.

She was going to die out there alone; freeze to death, or maybe die from frost bite. This was her fault, of course. This was fate laughing at her for being a horrible person. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha…" She finally let her eyes shut, giving up on trying to keep them open. "I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru…" She numbly clutched his obi, trying her best to think of him and him alone in her time of pain.

She was startled awake, not quite knowing when she had drifted asleep, when she heard the screeching sound of metal protesting as it was bent and pried. Her lids dropped again, her body trying to make itself shut down on her. When she managed to crack one of them open again, she managed to register her seat belt being cut off of her and removed. Her vision was blurred and her skin felt like it was burning, despite her being freezing.

Her lid dropped close again as she whimpered when she was moved, no longer having the strength to even cry out in pain. Still, it made the person pause. She heard them curse as she began to black out again, but managed to tilt her lips up slightly as her imagination let her smell the pine scent in the scarf one last time.

*~~~FP~~~*

He had finally found her. After being separated from her for five hundred and two years, he had finally found her. Sesshoumaru, now a successful, busy business man, had watched his little miko ever since she was born. He watched when she first fell down the well and her struggles with it. He observed with strained control when Inuyasha continued to send her home in tears. He was tempted to approach her when the well first closed her off from the feudal era and console her, but knew he shouldn't. When it reopened, he knew the time would be soon to approach her and make her his once again.

However, when the time came for her to return to the present, he had a previously planned business trip to America. The trip would last for about a year as a new branch of his company was being opened. He had demanded others go in his place, not wanting to wait any longer to be reunited with his intended, but they refused to be gone from their families for a whole year, even threatened to quit. He knew if he did not go, it would be catastrophic for his company and he could lose all that he had. He wanted to be able to give his mate everything, so he decided to go.

What he did not expect, was that it took nearly eighteen months to finish the construction of his company and go through the hiring process. When he finally returned with much anticipation, he was furious to find that her and her family had moved from their shrine. Where had they gone?

He spent the last six months looking for her and her family, hiring all and any resources he could to find her. He was finally presented with her new address in Sagamihara and he let all of his employees off early, saying it was for Christmas Eve when in reality he just wanted to leave then and there.

Sesshoumaru had never felt so…_anxious_ before as he drove down the snowy highway. It had been two years for her, but over five hundred for him. His keen eyes saw the approaching black ice and swerved around it, noting the recent skid marks on the road from some fool who wasn't paying attention. He would not make that mistake; nothing would stop him from seeing his intended again.

He continued driving the rest of the twenty miles and pulled up alongside the curb of the house. He checked the house number to see if it matched the address before getting out of the car and walking up to the door. He pressed the doorbell and waited impatiently for someone to answer.

"Oh? A visitor on Christmas Eve?" Mrs. Higurashi asked as she dried her hands with a kitchen towel. She walked over to the door, peered through the peep hole and gasped before flinging the door open. "S-Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Higurashi-san," He said, his tone holding a hint of relief. He had met his miko's mother many times during their relationship five hundred years ago. "Is Kagome here?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

"K-Kagome…?" Her mind wondered off as she looked at the taiyoukai. He looked so different with his markings hidden, his silvery white hair tied back into a ponytail, and dressed in a suit. Her eyes filled with tears. It was really him! Maybe her daughter would finally be happy again! Without thinking, she gave him a tight hug. "Thank Kami-sama you're here," She cried as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Maybe now Kagome will be happy again."

Hearing her words, he felt his gut twist. So, his intended was depressed. He too had felt the same pain. He looked at Mrs. Higurashi as she pulled away from him and apologized. "It is of no consequence," He replied. "Is she here?" He repeated.

She wiped at her tears. "Umm, no," She replied and then glanced at the clock that hung on the wall by the door. "But she should have been here by now. She got off work at four. She works in Tokyo so she's usually home by four-thirty."

Sesshoumaru's eyes met the clock. It was currently six. His stomach knotted nervously, though his face did not show it. Something was wrong; he could feel it in his bones. He carefully replayed his trip there through his head, looking for anything that could have gone wrong. His jaw tightened when he remembered the skid marks on the road. Were they from her car? Had she crashed?

Mama furrowed her brows as he back away from the door before disappearing. "Please, let my daughter be safe, Kami-sama." She said softly as she stared out to the snow storm.

Without saying a word, the tall male disappeared from her sight, using his youkai speed to retrace his path. He would not use his car; he was faster and could not afford to waste any time. If his intended was hurt, he couldn't bother with getting her in and out of his vehicle.

Within minutes, he came to the skid marks in the road. He followed them with his sharp amber eyes and moved to the side of the road where they stopped. His eyes widened slightly when he saw a car crashed into the tree. He inhaled deeply and, even through the wind and snow, picked up the faint smell of blood. _Her_ blood.

He rushed down the hill and to the passenger side door. He grasped the handle and easily pulled the entire door off of the car. There, strapped into the driver seat was his unconscious miko. He crawled into the car and used his sharp claws to cut her seatbelt from her. He began to put his arms under her, but froze when she whimpered painfully. He moved in closer to her and cursed when he saw the gruesome sight of her wound.

The impaled branch was deep into her. The skin and blood around it was black from the cold. He furrowed his brows. This was bad. She needed medical attention and quick. He let his eyes fall on her slightly bruised face before looking back at the branch. Using his claws, he broke the branch off and lifted her out of the seat and then the car. He left the broken piece in her side, not wanting the entire wound to be vulnerable to the cold. Holding her close to his chest, he took off towards his home.

When he reached his house, he kicked the door open, not caring of the repercussions. "Jaken!" He all but roared as he stormed up the stairs with Kagome to his room.

The ancient toad scrambled into his master's room and bowed low. "H-hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?" He blinked when he saw the familiar miko on his lord's bed. "I-is that Kagome-sama?!"

"Get the medical kit." He snapped before he looked down at his intended. As he moved to remove her jacket, he noticed the scarf around her neck. Wasn't that his obi from five hundred years ago? She kept it? He gave a small smile at her before he tore off her jacket and shirt.

*~~~FP~~~*

Kagome groaned softly as she began to gain consciousness. She felt…warm. That was odd though, wasn't it? Wasn't she still in her car? Did her heater kick back on? No, it couldn't have, the battery was dead. She parted open an eye and winced at the soreness of her face. Pushing past the pain, she opened both of her eyes and looked around. She was in a room…? But whose?

"Where am I?" She wondered out loud and then went to sit up. She winced and remembered her injury. She pushed back the many covers that lay on top of her and blushed to see she was naked. Whoever did this was going to get a piece of her mind! Whether they helped her or not, they didn't have to remove her bra! She filed that thought for later and looked at gauze that was taped over her side. She gently peeled back the side of it and winced when she saw the multiple stitches that laced up her skin.

"Leave it alone to heal, Miko."

Kagome froze. That voice. The hair on her arms and neck stood up straight. It couldn't be, could it? Slowly, with her heart hammering hard in her chest, she lifted her head and raised her eyes to lock onto the figure that made its way to her bed. Tears welled in her eyes before pouring down her cheeks.

"S-Sessh," She stumbled over a sob before continuing. "Sesshoumaru…Sesshoumaru!" She cried and began to kick the covers off of her to free her legs, not caring about hurting herself. She stood up on wobbly legs and held her hand out to him as she moved forward.

He moved forward and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He felt her cling to him, her nails digging into his back as she tried to pull him in to her. He buried his nose into the top of her hair and inhaled her scent. "My miko," He rumbled in his chest. He lifted her off her feet and placed her back on the bed. She refused to let go of him and he didn't mind. He laid down with her and held her tightly to him.

"I thought," She murmured into his chest. "that you had died."

"You should know better than to assume that anything could kill This Sesshoumaru." He replied, a small smirk on his lips.

She smiled and felt a new wave of tears fall from her eyes at his familiar way of speaking. "I was so lost without you."

"As I you," He sighed softly, simply enjoying the way her body fit against his. It had been too long since he held her in his arms. "I am glad I was able to find you."

"Find me?" She asked and pulled away from him slightly so she could look up at him. "Did you find me in the snow storm?"

He nodded once. "That; and, that I was able to locate you after your family moved."

She furrowed her brow and then put everything together. This was probably his house, plus he was dressed like a business man, and he was looking for her. "Sesshoumaru, you didn't come through the well, did you?"

"No," He looked down at her and cupped her cheek with his large hand. "I have been waiting for you for five hundred years." When tears formed in her eyes again, he used his thumbs to wipe them away. "No crying, Kagome. Be happy that we are together again."

She smiled at his words and sniffled. "But I am happy. That is why I am crying," She said and put her hand on his. "I am so very, very happy."

"Your mundane habits," He began and brushed his lips over hers. "have always confused me."

She didn't respond. Instead, she pressed her lips hard against his, trying to make up for the past two years. She tangled her hand into his hair and pulled gently. She felt his claws run down her body and she arched her back in response. She let him roll them over so she was beneath him, his tall, muscular frame hovering over her.

Sesshoumaru wanted all of her. He lifted his hand and let it wander down to her breast where he caressed it carefully. His thumb and index finger squeezed her hard nipples before he broke the kiss to lower his head to her breast. His tongue rolled over the firm flesh once and then again before taking the whole thing into his mouth.

She moaned as he nibbled on her nipple. Her hands lifted to his shirt and began to fumble with the buttons there. Once she slipped the last one through, she pushed the shirt off of him and then began to work on his pants. Her desire for him was burning through her body, her womanhood already slick with her juices.

The former taiyoukai kicked off his pants and boxer briefs as she pushed them down. He let his hands travel down her body and legs, taking her panties with him. He captured her soft lips with his once more as his hand made its way between her legs. He rubbed his index finger against her nub, his member swelling with delight was she moaned and arched her back in response. He felt how wet she was and decided to not continue his ministrations. He had waited long to be with her and he was eager to joined with her.

She inhaled deeply when he broke the kiss and looked up into his honey pools when he pushed her legs apart. She gave him a needy smile and ran her hands down his chest as he positioned himself at her entrance. "I love you, Sesshoumaru." She breathed and closed her eyes tightly as he slowly slid himself inside of her.

"As I you," He purred in her ear. He grunted in pleasure as he filled her completely. She was tight around him and that only served to fuel his fire. She had been with no one else since him and it showed. He gave her a moment to adjust to his size before he withdrew and slipped back into her, a moan awarding his motions. He pressed his lips against her neck, his arms wrapping under her waist. He had missed her; the feeling of her, her scent, her voice, her personality…everything that was _her_.

She moaned loudly as he began to thrust into her. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he nipped at her neck. They were not having sex, no; they were making love. She loved him with all of her heart and soul. She felt complete now that she had him back in her life. All the weight that was on her shoulders and all the depression she held inside of her was gone. She closed her eyes as they made love, thanking the Kami for blessing her and granting her wish and thanking Inuyasha for forgiving her.

Sesshoumaru held her against him as he continued to move in and out of her cavern, their bodies molded against each other perfectly. He removed his arms from around her and moved her hair from her shoulder. He paused his hips and looked down into her face. "Kagome," he panted softly. She looked up at him with those bright sapphire blue eyes and loving smile, sweat beading her forehead. "Be mine. Forever."

She leaned up and kissed him gently before whispering, "Yes." She saw the loving look in his eyes and closed her own when she felt his lips brush against her skin. She winced and dug her nails into the skin on his back as he bit into her shoulder.

The moment his fangs sunk into her flesh and spilled her blood onto his tongue, he began to thrust into her once again. He pushed harder into her, the fact that she had just become his life mate making a new wave of desire wash over him. He removed his fangs from her skin and lapped up the blood. He then sat up slightly and put his hands on her hips, forcing himself in deeper.

"Ah!" She moaned, closing her eyes tightly. She arched her back as he moved faster. She gripped the bed sheets on either side of her and let out another moan as he began to pound into her.

Sesshoumaru felt her tighten around him as her moans began to come in short pants. She was close and so was he. He leaned down and captured her nipple in his mouth once again, his fang grazing it. "Come for me." He growled against her nipple.

His fangs, plus his thrusting, pushed her over the edge. She cried out and tossed her head back, her toes curling as each wave of pleasure crashed over her. She felt his hot seed shoot inside of her as she began to relax again. She lay back against the bed, her body quivering from the aftershock of their love making.

He grunted softly as he pulled out of her, and settled down next to her. He pulled her into his chest and held her tight. When she nuzzled up to his side, he rested his chin on top of her head. "I do wish not to go another five hundred years without you." He commented.

She ran her finger tips over his soft skin. "You won't have to," She answered and then smiled against his chest. "Isn't that what this is for?" She asked, putting her free hand on the puncture holes in her shoulder.

He nodded. "Yes, we will not be separated again, my Mate."

She smiled once more. "Good."

She still couldn't believe she was there in Sesshoumaru's arms. She had definitely received the best Christmas gift she could have ever asked for. She was so sure she was done, that she was going to die there in her car. But she knew now that somehow, Inuyasha had forgiven her. He had to of. Because if not, she was sure she would be dead by now.

_'Arigato, Inuyasha,' _She thought to herself as she began to doze off in her mate's arms. _'For looking after me even in death, and for forgiving me. I will never forget you.'_

Although she knew she must have been imagining it, she heard the response somewhere in the confides of her mind, _'You're welcome…' _


End file.
